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Japan’s moon lander and X-Ray mission delayed again due to high winds

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Shillong, August 28: Japan has faced another setback in its plans for its Moon lander and X-ray mission due to adverse weather conditions, specifically high winds.

As per IANS, originally slated for liftoff on August 26 via an H2-A rocket, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) had planned to launch its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) and X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). This flagship space launch vehicle, developed jointly by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), had to be rescheduled due to weather concerns.

The postponement is a result of high-altitude winds impacting the launch’s safety constraints, as stated by Tatsuru Tokunaga, launch unit chief of operator MHI. While a final launch date is yet to be determined, JAXA has indicated that the launch might occur as late as September 15.

SLIM, also referred to as the “Moon Sniper” in Japanese, seeks to establish a lightweight probe system with pinpoint landing capabilities for future lunar exploration. XRISM, a collaboration between JAXA, NASA, and the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to study extreme phenomena such as X-rays released by hot gas clouds around galaxies and black hole emissions.

Achieving a successful landing on the Moon would make Japan the fifth country to accomplish this feat, following Russia, the US, China, and India. SLIM is projected to reach lunar orbit within 3 to 4 months of launch and aims to touch down on the slope of the Shioli Crater.

XRISM’s X-ray observations hold significant potential for understanding energetic cosmic phenomena, with Matteo Guainazzi, ESA project scientist for XRISM, noting its relevance in studying the evolution of the Universe’s structures and the impact of massive black holes on galaxies.

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